Investigates English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' native literacy-learning experiences, via written learning autobiographies of 26 students from at least eight different countries. Discusses writing instruction in students' native languages; most satisfying writing assessment in their native languages; and differences between writing in…

Observes that writing is a process of learning and that students learn best when the writing process is well-organized. Outlines a process for writing, named DRAFT (Design, Role, Audience, Format, and Topic), that bridges social studies with critical thinking and problem solving, and allows writing projects to be easily transformed into models…

Presents an active learning project for use in teaching social activism and social movements. Discusses students' backgrounds, the course outline, the context of the assignment, the project itself, measures of the effectiveness of the assignment, and limits and problems with it. Notes other topics for which the assignment could be adapted. (DSK)

Describes an assignment that immerses students in regional study based on the belief that students' learning is enhanced when they acquire a personal sense of travel in that region. Asks students to research and write narrative travelogues describing vicarious travel in a region. Discusses student reactions and pedagogical outcomes. (DSK)

Examines whether the use of progressive writing for a psychology paper assignment affects students' writing and motivation when used to discuss course material illustrated in popular movies. Reveals that the students felt their writing improved and 44% of the students earned 90% of the overall points; student motivation was lower than expected.…

Describes how two teachers approach poetry writing with at-risk high school students over a 12-week period, structuring activities to initiate poetry as language play, selecting model poems that are developmentally appropriate, and organizing writing assignments that encourage students to draw on their individual experiences. Discusses conducting…

Presents a case study for use in business communication classes to help students understand and learn both the context and the strategies for communication with business and management. Discusses planning required to do business (selling speciality construction cranes) in the Middle East. Includes some correspondence and two assignments. (SR)

Presents a case study for use in business communication classes to help students understand and learn both the context and the strategies for communication with business and management. Deals with a new human resource director's attempt to bring order to an organization and software developers' concerns over their work being hindered. Includes two…

Details a first-year college composition course that blends journalism instruction with first-year composition. Describes how students learn about news gathering and news writing techniques common to feature writing and complete a profile writing project which encourages a level of discourse that bears closer kinship to everyday workplace writing.…

Considers the short stories of William Carlos Williams as material for college courses. Describes an unsuccessful writing assignment based on Williams'"The Use of Force." Notes that the assignment was more successful at an adult-education arts center with a more mixed group of students. (PA)

Describes how the author came to develop an elective community-college course called "AIDS: A Literary Response." Discusses the course curriculum and course materials, literature and films, class assignments, formal paper assignments, notebooks of materials, and the impact of the life stories shared with the class by visitors. (SR)

Explores a method of developing kindergarten children's written stories through journal writing, specifically written interactions or dialogs between child and teacher in response to journal entries. Notes how journals and written conversation encourage process writing, helping children produce stories with a sense of meaning. Offers suggestions…

Explores how learning environment dimensions are related to on-task-orientation, and how these relations are mediated by students' perceptions of the meaningfulness of schoolwork. For school psychologists, results seem to imply an increased focus on the learning environment, and particularly on the importance of the social emotional dimensions for…

Describes how the authors use a broad-based, client-centered model to teach an introductory course in public relations, integrating writing assignments for "clients" into course topics, which include history, ethics, theory, research, program planning, publicity, crisis management, and evaluation methods. Discusses course objectives, and notes…

Discusses a three-step process for teaching sixth grade students to connect current events to a perennial issue using the Internet. Proposes selecting and collecting information on a current event; producing an editorial and political cartoon on the event; and publishing the work online and in a local newspaper. Includes a sample activity. (CMK)